Bakery Shop Business Key Tips

In recent years, the bakery industry has been changing. While commercial bakeries still account for the majority of bakery sales, the industry as a whole is moving away from mass-produced products and increasingly toward niche offerings like healthy baked goods and high-quality, artisanal products.

For small bakery businesses, this is promising. The shift from mass-produced baked goods to handcrafted specialty products provides plenty of areas where bakers can grow strategically, taking advantage of industry trends and consumer needs.

For small bakery businesses, this is promising. The shift from mass-produced baked goods to handcrafted specialty products provides plenty of areas where bakers can grow strategically, taking advantage of industry trends and consumer needs. Are you looking for ways to bring in more money and attract more clients to your bakery business? Read on.

1. Offer nutrition information for your products

As patrons are becoming more and more health conscious, it’s a smart move to consider providing nutrition information for your breads, pastries, and sweets.

According to the American Bakers Association, 61 percent of U.S. adults use nutrition labels to help manage their weight, and 38 percent say that labeling products would help them do this more effectively. Additionally, many consumers underestimate the calorie and fat content in foods and attest that they would like to see more nutrition labeling at places where they eat away from the home.

How does including nutrition information impact sales? It’s hard to say, as there hasn’t been enough large-scale initiative to include this information; at this point in time in most locations, including nutritional information is optional. However, bakery chain Panera has seen huge success in recent years after voluntarily including nutritional info for all of their products.

2. Have healthier options available

In a similar vein, consumers are becoming more and more interested in the availability of healthier options. In adults ages 25 to 34, 54 percent of those surveyed by the American Bakers Association said they reach for healthier options when baking at home, which leads industry experts to believe that consumers may be interested in healthier options from their local bakery as well.

This isn’t just a trend without any numbers to back it up: Plenty of chain restaurants are seeing increases in sales due to their inclusion of healthier options, and one study found a 28 percent increase in sales when foods were labeled as having healthy ingredients or properties, such as being low-sodium.

Be aware, however, that “healthy options” doesn’t just have to mean low-calorie. Consider offering a wide variety of options, such as low-carb, high protein, all natural ingredients, and so on, depending on your target market’s preferences. This would be a great time to do some additional market research with your customers!

3. Feature different portion sizes

As we found in the restaurant industry,offering smaller or non-standard portion sizes is a great way to bring in new customers and make more money from your existing customers.

The snacking trend is growing, and bakeries are set to play a huge role (or should I say roll—get it?). 28 percent of cake and pie buyers say that they would be interested in individual portion sizes, and 20 percent say mini or bite-sized versions would encourage them to buy more. This provides consumers with built-in portion control, which is a growing trend.

Baking Business found that bite-sized desserts are a “must-have” for bakeries. Carly Fields of Tart Bakery attributes the rising popularity to more than just portion control: “I believe most people do not want to commit to one dessert, and the bite-sized desserts allow them to have fun and try more things,” she says.

4. Offer high-protein baked goods

Bakeries offering high-protein baked goods—or even specializing exclusively in them—have become extremely popular. 26 percent of Americans say they have increased their protein intake in recent years, and 78 percent of Americans expressed interest in foods that kept them feeling fuller longer.

Consider Lenny and Larry’s most popular product, “The Complete Cookie,” a protein-packed cookie that comes in a variety of flavors. The brand, established in 1993, has experienced a boom in popularity in recent years. However, it’s not only stalwart brands that are benefitting from the increased popularity of protein-packed goodies—brands like Doughbar Doughnuts have popped up in response to the growing trend. If your bakery doesn’t specialize in high-protein goods, don’t worry—this trend isn’t just for new bakeries hoping to specialize. You can easily offer a few higher protein options (like a rotating selection of a few high-protein muffins, cookies, and so on) to complement your regular offerings.

5. Focus on locally-sourced ingredients

Local ingredients are very important to consumers; in fact, local products are quickly becoming more important than organic or “all natural” products.

The American Bakers Association found that 62 percent of consumers try to purchase local products whenever possible, and 41 percent said that a restaurant offering locally sourced ingredients influenced their choice in which businesses to frequent. For successful examples of bakeries for whom locally-sourced ingredients are their bread and butter (literally), look no further than Pacific Northwest chain Grand Central Bakery. Their purchasing philosophy emphasizes local ingredients whenever possible, and their customers appreciate that they make an effort to buy directly from local farmers.

6. Offer allergen-free products

While sales of gluten-free products may have slowed, research shows that allergen-free baked goods are still in demand.

In general, sales of allergen-free products have risen steadily and continue to rise. Moreover, food allergies are on the rise as well, which means more and more people will be searching for allergen-free products. While larger cities like NYC are often packed with allergen-free options, your own community may not have as many available, which leaves room for your bakery to grow.

Start by assessing what is missing in your local community. Is there a lack of offerings for those who are allergic to nuts, eggs, dairy, and so on? Check out your competition and see what holes you can fill, or speak with your customers and find out what allergies they or their family members are dealing with.

7. Pay attention to packaging

Artisanal packaging is trending, and it’s a great way to make your products stand out from the crowd. Not only will unique packaging make your products memorable, but packaging has been found to be one of the most important aspects when it comes to a customer’s decision to buy a product.

Having beautiful packaging adds an authentic human touch that consumers love, as it sets handmade, local products apart from mass-produced generic offerings. Artisanal packaging is an extension of your bakery’s branding and deserves plenty of attention. Presenting your products in gorgeous packaging reinforces the idea that when it comes to bakery products, we eat with our eyes first.

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